Oprah Winfrey purchases “big chunk” of Maui
for $6.6 million prompting surf enthusiasts to wonder if former
acolyte Erik Logan still in media mogul’s ear!
News broke overnight that Oprah Winfrey, very
famous and worth some $2.7 billion, had purchased a “large chunk”
of Maui for a reported $6.6 million. The plot of land, 870 acres in
total near Kula, in the Valley Isle’s guts, formerly belonged to
the Ulupalakua Ranch which specializes in elk hamburgers.
Wow.
As you certainly know, the media mogul owns property in
Montecito, Chicago and Colorado, three places that don’t feature
surf nor Albee Layer and her sudden interest in the birthplace of
the Sport of Queens has surf enthusiasts wondering if her former
acolyte, one Erik Logan, is in her ear.
Logan, the World Surf League’s current Chief of Executives,
previously served as the Oprah Winfrey Network president and kicked
the then-struggling television operation to great success. Coming
over to the WSL, the Oklahoman was named head of studios, which
promptly shuttered, and failed upstairs to the number one slot.
Winfrey’s new holding is exactly 12 miles from Jaws and 40-ish
from Honolua Bay making it the perfect spot for an artificial wave
facility.
Kelly Slater’s Ulupalakua Surf Ranch.
Rings, no?
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Dez Becks, Shaq and iconic Billabong, top, and
Quiksilver ads from the halcyon eighties.
David Beckham and Shaquille O’Neal owner
“days away” from inking deal to buy Quiksilver and Billabong for
$US1.3 billion!
The sale of surfing’s two most iconic brands, Quiksilver
and Billabong, has been swinging back and forth for a year or so
now, with BeachGrit dutifully following each moment of the
pendulum.
First, it was Vans circling the beleaguered Boardriders Inc,
owner of Billabong, Quiksilver and RVCA, then Authentic, “a robust
house that includes the licensing rights to Elvis Presley, Marilyn
Monroe and Muhammad Ali” followed by Hurley owner, Bluester
Alliance, all picking over those bleached surf industry bones,
brands once so mighty the entire sport squatted on their
shoulders.
The original deal with Authentic shot itself, we were told,
‘cause the current owner of Boardriders Inc, Oaketree, wouldn’t let
go of the retail outlets, ironic considering all that dang bricks
and mortar was a millstone around Billabong’s neck as sales shifted
online.
Now, Bloomberg is reporting that Authentic, which also owns
the David Beckham and Shaquille O’Neal labels, and another
once-great surf label Volcom, will be taking the keys to Quik and
Billabong as soon as this week in a deal worth $US1.3
billion.
As Boardriders was shopping around the biz last year piss poor
cash flow and maturing loans forced it to cut costs, sacking twenty
percent of its Australian staff or almost two hundred
jobs.
At its peak, Billabong was valued at five billion Australian
dollars but eventually sold for $390 mill or one dollar a
share.
Quiksilver, meanwhile, did its shirt after trying to take over
the entire surf-ski market with its spectacularly disastrous buy of
ski brand Rossignol for seven hundred mill only to sell it a few
years later at a stunning seventy-five percent loss.
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Kai Lenny (right) squinting. Woody Allen (left) gently
encouraging a solution. Photo: Someone in Walmart.
Mega surf brand Hurley continues exciting
pivot toward elder care, releases line of handsome readers at
Walmart!
The rise of Hurley from highly-regarded surf
brand to must-have everything everywhere all at once is
one of the more exciting bits of our new surf epoch. Those who
dabble in history will certainly know the Hurley name. Bob, its
onetime owner, made it very famous through his surfing then shaping
expertise and also financial wizardry. Not yet thirty, the handsome
man scooped the U.S. Billabong license for $40,000 and turned it
into a $100 m business. After that he went out on his own with
Hurley, which sold to Nike for hundreds of millions more, and then,
four years ago, sold to Bluestar Alliance.
Derek Rielly wrote at the
time, “The way Bluestar works is it identifies brands
it wants to buy and once they get the keys, “our team of experts
embark on a complete and thorough understanding of the brand’s
potential channels of distribution and price point strategies. We
create tools such as brand development profiles, trend guides,
style guides and marketing strategies. These marketing materials
portray graphic illustrations and a strategic marketing road map to
enhance consumer brand recognition.”
Surf fans thrilled when fingernail clippers, pool toys, beard
oil and Kai Lenny soon appeared on the market.
All absolutely perfect for an aging demographic but
new-and-improved Hurley is not finished. After sponsoring the 47+
set’s favorite wave, Sunset Beach, the house has just released a
line of very stylish readers at Walmart for the almost too good to
be true starting price of $138.
Phenomenal.
But what is your position vis a vis readers? Do you rage, rage
against the dying light and sit in your bed squinting hard at
BeachGrit‘s famously cantankerous comment thread or have
you given in to the joy of spectacles?
Will you swap them out for a pair of Hurleys?
More as the story develops.
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McConaughey Jr. (left) partaking in tradition. Photo:
Instagram
Matthew McConaughey’s dashing young son
collects “surf souvenirs” after kissing ultra-hard Hawaiian
reef!
It is a tale as old as time. Boy travels to
Hawaii in search of legendary surf. Boy paddles out into the
yawning blue. Boy catches wave, wipes out and bounces off
underwater ouchies, staggers to beach and is lovingly cared for by
Sam George’s ex-wife only to rise again and learn the true meaning
of aloha. An absolute classic that never tires no matter how often
it is reprised.
And our latest, in a long line, is none other than Matthew
McConaughey’s young son Levi.
The Academy Award winning actor is, of course, adored by all and
was most recently spotted in the Red Bull Athlete Lounge during the
just-wrapped Hurley Pro Sunset Beach. Our Joe Turpel commented,
from the booth, that McConaughey was a “big fan” of the World Surf
League, which may have been an overstatement, but the handsome
Texan’s love of surf is unquestionable with memorable turns as
Steve Addington in Surfer, Dude and Moondog in Beach
Bum.
In any case, it appears the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree
and that the gift of wave sliding has been passed down to the next
generation. McConaughey seemed pleased with Levi’s reef kiss,
describing it as a “surf souvenir” on Instagram.
Queer surf group announces “Trans Day of
Visibility” as pro surfing threatens to implode over trans-rights
on tour, “We will not tolerate transphobia in the lineup or on the
beaches!”
"Trans existence will not be endangered but those
who are ignorant, but enlightened by those who are insightful."
Transgender surfers will draw a figurative if not literal
line in the sand at Will Rogers Beach in Santa Monica this
Saturday with a “Trans Day of Visibility!”
TS surf and skate label Dream Team Society, which makes
“merchandise for conscious consumption” and using only
“historically marginalized groups & businesses” announced the
“Trans Surf, boogie and beach day” via Instagram.
Everyone is welcome, including CIS freaks and those a little
curious – and who isn’t – although there is a caveat.
“This is a space for TGNC (Transgender and Gender Nonconforming
People) folks and if you support that community, you are welcomed.
This is a place of celebration and safety, so don’t duck with us we
are just trying to have a nice time!”
Trans Beach Day comes as pro surfing threatens to implode
following the WSL’s decision to allow biological males to compete
in the gals.
The World Surf League opened the door to trans-women competing
so long as they’ve been a gal for at least twelve months and their
hormone levels are real low, although the WSL said it wouldn’t be
doing the testing, each athlete suppling their own supporting
documents.
The world’s most inspirational surfer Bethany Hamilton sparked
wild debate, both for and against the rule change, when she
recorded a piece to camera damning the decision.
Hamilton, who was thirteen when a tiger shark took off her arm,
said she was speaking for tour surfers who felt muzzled, agreed
with Kelly Slater who called for a trans-only div and said she’d
boycott events if it went ahead.
“Speak your truth!” wrote Shane Dorian in response. “Thank you
for being brave enough to stand up for what you believe. Don’t
listen to people who hurl the word transphobic at anyone who’s
beliefs don’t align perfectly with theirs. These are complicated
problems with no clear solution. Regardless, there are many people
who love and support the trans community who agree with you on
these issues…Less than 1% of people think this policy reflects
fairness. Quite the opposite”
